Weekend SPL Action

Live on ESPN: Sat 12.00: Rangers travel to Hearts where they are 4/6 (Stan James) to maintain a 100% winning start.

Celtic and Rangers are neck and neck at the top of the SPL with identical records, having both won all six games, along with the same goal difference. However, the Bhoys remain favourites to lift the title at 4/5 (bet365), with Rangers 11/10 (Betdaq).

Neil Lennon’s men have the more straightforward task of taking three points this weekend according to Victor Chandler, who chalk them up at 2/11 to dismiss Hamilton (16/1, William Hill) at Celtic Park. The home side have beaten the Accies 2-0, 4-0 and 4-0 in the last two seasons and Partybets go 4/5 about them winning ‘to nil’ once more.

Rangers face a trickier mission at Hearts (9/2, Betfred) where Stan James make them 4/6 to leave victorious on Saturday in the live noon match.

The Gers were given a stern test at Aberdeen before running out narrow 3-2 winners last week, and the same could apply fourth-placed Hearts, where they are 11/4 (bet365) to win by a one-goal margin.

Motherwell (4/6, 888sport) are enjoying a good season in third place and could record another win on Saturday against bottom-placed St Mirren (9/2, Betdaq) at Fir Park. Craig Brown’s troops claimed a big win at Hearts last week, and now host a side that have yet to win on their travels this season, as well as losing 2-0 here in January.

St Johnstone (6/4, Totesport) are only above St Mirren on goal difference and welcome Hibernian (15/8, Ladbrokes) in what should be a really tight affair. The draw appeals at 23/10 with William Hill.

Paddy Power’s 23/10 for the draw also catches the eye at Rugby Park where Kilmarnock (6/4, Coral) take on Dundee United (7/5, Partybets). The pair are separated by just one point in the table and have also finished level in three of their last four meetings.

Aberdeen (2/1, Victor Chandler) and Inverness’ close proximity on the map is similarly borne out in the SPL at present where they lie in sixth and seventh respectively. This match features two in-form strikers courtesy of Scott Vernon and Eric Odhiambo, which could result in a high-scoring affair. Aberdeen’s Vernon rates a 15/2 chance with Paddy Power to break the deadlock, while Odhiambo is 6/4 net at any stage for the home side.